David Bradshaw Photos - Vol. LXXX, K-22 Part 2

[bradshaw]

Paul.... there is a collar on the yoke which prevents yoke endshake with cylinder closed.

Binding when opening cylinder may be a burr in the channel of the yoke pivot, which rubs against the end of the front sideplate screw.

Rub between cylinder face and barrel face (which you call "barrel butt"), and rub between rear of cylinder against frame window indicates a warp or out-of-round condition. A knowledgeable S&W mechanic should be able to help you sort out this condition. The old guru mechanics kept a lead hammer on the bench to tune various ailments. Clowns need not apply.

Please keep us tuned in on developments. Your experience, including ammo dope, counts. Note: perhaps it is time for you to contribute a writeup on your M-617 ten shot. I, for one, want to see pictures and notes.

To evaluate accuracy of a new or unknown revolver it is important to group all chambers. Number chambers with felt-tip pen. Repeat when fliers occur. A flier caused by shooter or ammunition occurs randomly. An off chamber repeats. Chamber-to-bore misalignment opens groups. A rough, tilted, or excessively cut forcing cone opens groups, yet also may throw some shots wild. As I have no experience with the ten shot M-617, my curiosity is aroused.
David Bradshaw

[paul105]

David,

I'll continue to work on the K22. Thought I'd take a break from the K22 and respond to your request for info on the M617. I've had this one for almost a year now and have only shot 2,000 rounds thru it. Mostly, I bought it as an under study for the new 66-? and the M69. All are equipped with the Hougue S&W 500 grips. Transition between the three is pretty much seamless.
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66 on the Left, 69 on the right and 317 bottom:
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Never shot the 317 for serious groups on paper, just verified POI and mostly shot double action at smaller targets at 25yds and the aforementioned popers at 80 yds.
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To minimize sighting errors, I mounted a 2x Leupold on a $7 Weaver base. Her are the results. Got run out by approaching storm, so only adjusted scope and shot two 10 shot groups. One with CCI stanard vel target, and the other with Norma target. Both shot real well, and the outliers are no doubt operator error.
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And the ammo:
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The gun
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With 2x Leupold
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And finally speed loader w/loading block for use in winter -- load block in warm house and take to range -- no fumbling with old, cold fingers and little, slippery .22 cartridges.
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I'll try some other ammo in the next couple of days, but I doubt this shooter can prove/disprove a bad chamber, if indeed there is one.
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Extraction/ejection was effortless (always has been with this until really dirty), and action, both single and double is without binding.
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Had fun doing this, and learned something about my M617 -- thanks for asking.
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Paul

[bradshaw]

Paul.... thanks to your shooting, your 10-shot "K-22/10" looks to be a revolver ready to slide into my hand. When you get the chance, please try your scoped M-617 at 100 yards. The chance of a stray or two or three in boring 10 chambers had me suspicious of the revolver's accuracy. And while I cannot conceive trading a vintage K for its contemporary offspring, your work allays critical fears.

On the subject of understudy handguns, there is nothing wrong----in fact there is good----in dissimilar feel between a .357, a .22, and a .44. The difference tells you what you have in hand in the dark and the body, which is familiar with each, communicates to the mind what you are about to unleash.

Again, please continue,
David Bradshaw

[cj3a]

617 that is a six shot. I have some cheaper ammo that has thick rims that the cylinder drags on.

[James]

I will  Never get rid of my K-22.....

[paul105]

David,

Finally got some range time to shoot the 100yd targets you requested.

Replaced the 2x Leup with a 4x. Took me a bit to get the 4x close at 25 yds. Regular stopped to visit and I managed to adjust in the wrong direction TWICE (senior moment I guess).

Anyway, the wind calmed down in the mean time and I decided to give the 100yd target a go. Here are the results:
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First group of 20 (5, then 5 more then 10 pretty quickly)
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2nd group of 10ea (only 7 hit paper, other three off to right a bit).
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Never did get really comfortable, but doubt that made a big difference. The gun shoots better than I do.

FWIW,

Paul

[bradshaw]

cj3a.... we slither into an age of rubbery .22 specifications, leastwise as some manufacturers drool to cash in.

jamesfromjersey.... a veritable rat murdering arsenal. Think we'll post K-22, Part 3. Fine pistols, thank you,
David Bradshaw

[paul105]

David and I were posting at the same time -- David, look just above your post.

Paul

[bradshaw]

Paul.... FINE accuracy from your 10-shot, 4-inch, M-617. I am heartened.
Beaucoup thanks,
David Bradshaw

[paul105]

Just a quick update. I sent the two older K22s to Jack Huntington to fix the action binding and hard case extraction. Guns were sent on the 28th of Sept and I received them back last Thursday, Oct 29th. Had both guns out the last two days and shot about three boxes of mixed ammo mostly double action. No binding of any kind and Extraction was smooth and easy. The 213xxx gun has a particularly nice double action.

Paul

[bradshaw]

Paul.... it is a solace to see evidence of guns made right. Perhaps you will describe the work done by Jack Huntington to smooth functioning of your contemporary K-frame .22s, particularly the stiff extraction. Accuracy----mechanical and available----defines the worth of any .22. For those on the lookout for a .22 revolver, these are the first questions to answer.
David Bradshaw

[paul105]

David,

Initially I spoke with Jason Menefee at JRH. He said hard extraction was fairly common in S&W 22 Revolvers and that they could fix the problem by “burnishing” the chambers.

When I got the call from Jack that the guns were finished, I was preoccupied with something else and forgot to ask what work had been performed.

On the S&W forum, there have been multiple discussions regarding hard extraction in various S&W 22 revolvers. The commonly accepted “fix” was the judicious application of a specific revolver finish reamer avail from Brownells. One gunsmith did a detailed “how to” along with the appropriate Brownell part number. I went as far as to order the finish reamer but chickened out when it was time to use it -- was afraid of really messing up one or both of these fine old guns.

Couldn’t be happier with the work that JRH did. Price was more than reasonable (except of course for the shipping “robbers”) and turnaround time was better than I expected.

Paul

[bradshaw]

squawberryman..... here is Part 2

[bradshaw]

encore64.... Part 2.
David Bradshaw

[bushog]

Funny,

I just reread all 3 parts this past weekend.

Have them bookmarked...